Draft mechanism for railway cars



Sept. 24, 1946. A? CAMPBELL DRAFT MECHANISM FORAILWAY CARS Filed March 27, 1943 2 Sheelzs-Sheei'. l

Sept. A24, 1946. A. CAMPBELL K A I DRAFT MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARAS Filed March 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -lfzUe/uar I y @T @9W i@ ,the invention, and in vwhich s Patented sept. 24, 1946 IPATENT .OFFICEjfff'f `2,408,195 y l 'DRAFT MECHANISM Fon RAILWAY CARS A vArgyle Campbell, Chicago, Illijassignr'toEnter"A prise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago,

.Y Ill.a corporation of Illinois Y Applieation March 21,1943, sferiaiNe. 480,738

, 1 ,My invention relates to improvements in draft mechanism for railway cars.

' One of the objects of the invention is to improve the efficiency of the draft mechanism in its abilityto respond to the shocks' of buff and draft action by providing improved support and guid` ance for the draft gear at front andrear ends sothat the yoke and draft gear will move as a unit and in proper alignment.

A further object isthecprovisionof a floating unit including the yoke or beam and draft gear arranged :for` better ycushioning of the rebound of the draft gear when subjected to severe shocks infbuiiing or pulling the car, and particularly for better absorption of the jolt and fjerk shocks delivered to thedraft mechanism of a train of cars hard Ato' start by thek engineer in causing theV engine to first hit vand then quickly reverse and jerkthetrain. Y 'Y 'p l.

Another object is to provide al unitary structure in which the shock absorbing mechanism for buiiing'shocks is separate from and independent of the Vshock absorbing mechanism forV draft shocks, so that each functions independently of theotlier.` l

Other objects of the invention will appear from 'thegdescription' and the combination and arrangements of parts shown in theV accompany-1 ing drawings which illustrate one embodiment of Fig. 1 is a plan section of a draft gear mechanism inV relation to the center sills.v and coupler ofa railway car andvillustrating the unitary structure including the floating yoke and independently acting shock absorbing mechanism;`

Eig." 2 is a view in side elevation of the draft mechanism unit shown in Fig. 1, the center sills and supporting keys being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the improved floating beam" member; g

lii'g. 4 is a View in side member;V Y

f Fig. 5' isa detail transverse section online 5-k-5 l of Fig.Y 2,;` and 'Fig'. 6 is a .detail B-j-B of Fig. 4.`

I In Figs. V1 and 2, the usuai center snrmembers A A,are shown spaced apartand extending lengthwise ofthe car.v Inwardly ofA the for-Y elevation of said beam transverse section on ,line

` 'z claims. (o1. 21a-s2) which the buifingv and mitted to the draft mechanism.

Within the center sills areprovid'ed the usual forward and rear draft vor stop lugs 5 vand 6 respectively, and'bearing against these stops are l' the forward and y'rear follower plates 1 and' re'-- comprises longitudinal. parallelly disposed top and'bottom membersfand I0 respectively', which I are connected at their endv portions by the verti'-. cal walls vI I'-I2lwhich form the yoke ends and` which are spaced apart laterally to bring them.4r relatively close to the vertical walls of the center sills butwithzsuflicient clearance, however, to

permit the beam to move freely longitudinally.V

At the forward end, vthe shank of the coupler extends in between these yokeend walls and is provided with a transverse or horizontal key I3 which is insertedvthrough a suitable slot I4 in the shank.A This'key'extends through registering slots in the yoke end walls and when in place locks'the beam oryoke to the coupler so 'that the ybeam moves longitudinally in both di- The key-likewise ex` .Y

rections with the coupler. tends through registering slots I5 in 'the vertical walls ofthe centersills and thus supports and guidesvthe coupler and the forward endof` the beam. 4The slots I5 are elongated suiiiciently to allow forv the longitudinal movement ofv they beam inv both'directions in response tothe corresponding movement of the coupler.

Inglike mannenthe `rear yoke end walls I2 are slotted to receive a transverse key I6 which moves withthe yoke but which extends through ward ends ofthe center sill is shown the usual center filler I and bolster 2, and projecting from the'A forward or front end of the center sills is a couplerl 3 of standard construction having a* shankror butt 4 which is connectedto andby l registering slots I1 in the side walls of the sills Y to support and guide the rear end of the yoke beam. These guide slots I'I` are-elongated sufliciently to correspond to the longitudinl movevment of the ryoke beam in either direction. It

will thus be seen that the beam, and all the parts carried thereby,kis supported and guided at bothends insuch manner that it constitutes a, oating unit capable of longitudinal .movement inboth pler movements.

draft shocks are transf yB is "preferably,u castffior directions'inresponse to thecou- As before mentioned, the shockabsorbing gear is positioned within `andcarried by the beam @91S logaied; beiwegnfihg twoefollower plates l The friction elements are assembled within the shellsby the bolts 2|, together with?theeflollowersrl( I and the springs 23, so that each vfriction shockA absorbing unit can act independentlyy of.; .theL

other. The intermediate portionL-Zll of.thebeam1.5.

is made integral with and wider than the top and@ bottom members 9 and I0, anlis madefpreferr ably rectangular in section, as shown in Fig.' 6, to provide space for a nest of springs Ziwhi'ch, at their ends, bear against the followers 22 of thev shock absorbingA units so ,that althoughA the, shock absorbing unitstfunction independently of each other theyfboth arelassisted by-fa common setv of springs 25z 'Ihe sideor vertical.walls215,v ofethespring housing are provided with windows or. openings 2l to*A permitthe insertion of the springs. 25 in assembling `thernechanism, Y Atthe realyof the beam,tthe inner. endsiigof the-yoke endwalls I2; bear against the rear-Y follwe, plate. t l

It'. will thus be.v seen that the, enti mechanism forms, in a sense, an oscil in. `responsa toVV the movements: ci; t When -tthegcoupler Y. receives; a bufiing shock, the,

butt of. `tlieshank bears against theffollowcr plate j la:l butsince.l the l beam ,is locked; tov theoupler by the key .13,1 this hulflrig shock, isl transmitt toA thetbeamand the beam moves rearwardly-.with the coupler. No relative moyementYoccurs-.ibef.,

tweenrthe. friction, elementstof, shock abscrbing.` 9Y

unit ,0, and hencev this Yunit doeshot-function on theloccasion of boiling shocks., The rear shockw unit D, however, bearsagainst :thafollow-er. platev Brand the shell thereof kmeves.-withltheyoke compresses. the frictionelementsrto` bsorbttge buffing shock. The rearfyokey endsY chat occasion move rearwardly away frcmthe follower plate.. -i

On the occurrence-of .apullingl' or draftshocka however?` the `yokel is movedY forward withy thev coupler-and'carrieslthe follower plate ALai/id the shock rabs'rbiifigl unit 'with'litf sov tlflat'ther.v isl no relativi?I :1e-vement between the shockabsorbing unit D and the follower platea: Heweverf-the shock absorbingunit `C-znovig forward withlthe yoke compressesits friction elementsagainst the forward `fl1ower platefl`-whi`chis Yagainst stops 5. Thus, nthedraftor"pull-ing"slapcks,Y tn forwardfshock'absorbing unit @functions to absorb thissl'iock.v vSince there are two'independent shock absorbing; units; eac one functions a lesserfnumber of '-/tir'ndes rthan yifgaWsiiigle shock absorbing unitK wereremxployed, asis-the case with standard draft gear.` The Vweary'onfthe,A friction elements; therefore,

and replacements Inade'less frequent.

r'ciaiin f 1,-l Inra-railway car having-center sills, the Pcorr-I binaaon of a 'longitudinally mman@ y'okefmerina ber positioned Vbetween the 'center' sills, shlockv` 70" cushioning devices positioned `within the yoke front and Yrearr draft lugs xedly afttachedtqrthe inner sides ofthecenteij sills, fesaid-rnoyable yoke memberhavingY lat bothits iront-5argiirearl` 4 a front key bar for passage through said front slots, a slot of similar size in the coupler shank and through elongated slots in said center sills which permit forward and rearward movement of the key bar, a rear key bar for passage through said rear slot in the yoke member and through elongated slots in the center sills which extend forwardly rearwardly Lto' permit; moyement in both directions of the key bar, whereby the weight of the movable yoke, shock cushioning devices and key bars is supported at both its front andfrearfendsbyf-the walls of the center sills, and the slots in the center sills guide and confine their nfiovement in longitudinal alignment.

l carried within said beam and comprising thousings yintegral with said beam @andf frictiornshoes movable ini. said housings and .f bearing against said 1stops.- l

3; Inadraft mechanism forarail'wayY cara-then combinationl of.- car centersills-Vspacedapartlfandf having. forwardand rear-draftlugson their innenJ feces, followerplatessbearing '.against-said-:stops, I a shock absorbing `unit bearing yaga-inst the forward follower plate and responsive onlyetodraft'. shocks, an .independentll shock absorbingru unit bearinglagainstsaidireanfollower plateand re v sponsive. ,onlyV to -bufng shocks, a yoke member positionedbetween-the centersillsafcrming a comcarriere forI both of 1 said shock' absorbingY units, and movable upon a draftshocklto-forcetheY forwardunit againsttsaidl forward follower plate .and upon-.a buff.l shockifto i' force '.th'el inde pendent-unit against said rear followenplateffand -1 al coupler connected Itothe forward Afendtoffthe A 0 yoke to move the yokelong-itudinal-lwitself in endsfsl'ots'for theY passage of transverse ky bars, 75`

bothdirections. Y i.

4; In a Vdraftzmechanisn'l.for `railway-cars, the combinationu offcar .centersillsfv spacedapart and# having forward and rear draft lugs ongtheir inner-u faces,L follower' .plates bearingfagainst f saidV stops;-, a y frictionl shock absorbingV unit bearingagainst tb e.- forward follower .plates an Vindependent fric-y .l

t1 i shod glrunit'gbearing;against-said: afsbrcefushioninad vraagbetween and common to both friction;-unit yclge member positioned betweehfthe centersifllszforrning a common carrier for said shock absorbing,-

units andI spring .cushioning device,vv and movable l upon a draft shock to force the forward [unitJI` against Said. forwardfollewerplate' and u11 0r1,-a'

buff shock to force the independent url it H aghainstl said n i. earT follower plate, Ya transverse key ateach @asi-Qt Saidroke extending, ,through ,elongate longitudinal .SlQtSin VSaki Cen.te1fsi.l.1s:forsurmort-i f ineen@ f guiding., the .-Yoke Saidh'neated. slots. beirssteededto'permt.movementf .the keys in`` beta diretioasfrem n QrmaLaad a. coupler. con f' nectedtathe fQrWardcnd of .theyoke by the transe,

in both directions.

.verserkey t0. mere, theyolie ,mnsitudinalw .of itself;4

5 o 5. In a draft mechanism for railway cars, the combination of a pair of spaced car centersills, a yoke member positioned between the centersills andina-ving integral forward and rear shock absorbing unit housings arranged inv alignment, a

spring `pocket integral with the yoke intermediate said housings, spring means in said pocket cornmon to both shock absorbing units, each shock absorbing unit housing having friction wedge members at one end, forward and rear draft lugs and follower plates in said centersills acting independently on the friction members of said units in accordance with the direction of movement of the yoke, a coupler co-nnected with the forward end of yoke to move the yoke longitudinallyl either direction, and, means at both-ends of the yoke engaging elongated slots in the center sill walls for supporting and guiding the yoke.

6. In a draft mechanism for railway cars, the combination of car centersills spaced apart and having forward and rear draft lugs on their inner faces, follower plates bearing against said stops, a yoke member positioned between said centersills and supported by said centersills for movement in both directions, a coupler connected with the forward end ofl said yoke member for movingv the yoke member in both directions in response to draft and buff forces applied thereto, shock absorbing units carried entirely by said yoke member and each comprising a shell portion integral with and movable by said yoke and friction members in said shells bearing against said follower plates, an intermediate spring shock absorbing means carried by said yoke member common to both shockl absorbing units and positioned therebetween, and means for rendering either one of said shock absorbing units effective dependy ing upon the direction of movement of said yoke member. l

7 In a draft mechanism for railway cars, t'ne combination of car centersills spaced apart and havin-g forward and rear draft lugs on their inner faces, follower plates bearing against said stops, a yoke member positioned between said centersills and supported by said centersills for movement in both directions, a coupler connected.. with the forwardrend of said yoke member for moving the yoke member in both direction in response to draft and buff forces applied thereto, shock absorbing units carried entirely by Said yoke member and each comprising a shell portion integral with and movable by said yoke and friction members in said shells bearing against said follower plates, an intermediate spring shock absorbing means carried by said yoke member common to both shock absorbing units and positioned therebe-` tween, and intermediate stops on said centersills for rendering either one of said shock absorbing units ineffective depending upon the direc..

tion of movement of the yoke member.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL. 

